Wrench



Feb. 23, 1932. p, ANDERSON 1,846,380

WRENCH Filed 001:. 25, 1930 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PERRY ANDERSON, OI BYRON, WISCONSIN WRENCH Application fled October 25, mo. Serial Io. 4s1,14s.

This invention relates to improvements in wrenches.

It is one of the objects of this 1nvent1on 'to provide a wrench of the ad ustable type, I in which means is utilized for securely locking the movable jaw in any positlon of adjustment.

A further object of this invention 1s to provide an improved wrench in which the locking mechanism is readily releasable.

A more specific object of this lnventlon 1s to provide a wrench having a screw operated jaw, in which locking mechanism for said screw is carried by the pin on which the screw rotates and in which said locking mechanism may be readily rendered ineifective by pressure upon said pin.

A further object of this invention is to provide an adjustable wrench having locking mechanism in connection therewith in which the various parts may be easily assembled to simplify the process of manufacture and to facilitate the making of repairs and replace ments.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved wrench of the type described which is simple in construction, eflicient in operation and well adapted for the purpose described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved wrench, and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating one complete embodiment of the preferred form of the invention, in which the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved wrench;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the head portion showing the various movable parts;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the pin on which the screw rotates Fig. 5 is a detail view of the locking memher; and

Fig. 6 is a top view of the worm.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 8 designates the body portion of the wrench, said body portion comprising a handle 9 having an integal jaw 10 formed at one end thereof, said end being enlarged as at 11. A slot 12, which widens inwardly as at 13, extends transversely through the enlarged portion 11. A movable jaw member 14 is provided with a rack portion 15 which is slidably received-within the enlarged portion 13 of the slot.

The enlarged portion 11 of the body of the wrench is also formed with a substantially rectangular opening 16 which communicates with the slot 13. Bores 17 and 18 communicate with said opening 16.

A pin 19 extends through the bore 17 and partially into the bore 18 and loosely surrounding said pin is a worm 20 which engages the rack in connection with the movable jaw 14. The pin 19 has a bore 21 extending inwardly from its inner end, said bore communicating with a transverse slot 22. A locking member 23 having one edge formed with a recess 24 is positionable within the slot 22 of the pin 19. ,A small headed pin 25 extends into the bore 21 and has its end engageable with the recess 24 of the locking member 23.

A coil spring 26 is positioned in the inner end of the bore 18 and yieldingly engages the headed pin 25.

The locking member 23 is also received by a slot 27 of the body ortion and said locking member is norma ly urged into engagement with the grooves 28 formed in the adj acent end of the worm.

The edge of the head adjacent which the movable jaw travels is preferably marked with a scale 29, and the movable jaw is marked with an index line 30 thereon. By dividing said scale into fractions of an inch, the distance between the jaws can readily be indicated.

In operation, pressure upon the outer end of the pin 19 will cause the spring 26 to be compressed and will cause movement of the locking member 23 out of engagement with the grooves 28 in the worm. The worm may then be rotated in the usual manner to admo just the movable jaw 14 to a desired position with relation to the fixed jaw 10. 711cm this position has been reached the pressure is removed from the pin 1!) and the spring 26 will force the locking member 23 into engagement with a set of grooves 28 in the worm 20 to lock said worm against further rotation. Thus. in using the wrench it is not possible for the position of the movable jaw to become changed.

One of the important features of the 1nvention is the ease with which the various parts may be assembled or removed. In assembly the headed pin 25 is inserted in the pin 19 and said pin is then passed through the worm and into the bore 18. Next, the slot 22 of the pin 19 is alincd with the slot 27 in the body and the locking member 23 is inserted in said slots until the end of the headed pin 25 snaps into the recess 24 of the locking member 23 to hold the latter in position. To remove the parts it is merely necessary to exert pressure against the end of the locking strip 23 to disengage the recess of said strip from the end of the headed pin 25. The locking member 23 can then be removed from the slots and the rest of the parts can be withdrawn without trouble.

Although only one form of the invention has been shown and described, it is not desired to be limited to this exact showing, as the broad concept of the invention includes all changes and modifications as may come within the scope of the claims.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a wrench having a head provided with a fixed jaw, a movable jaw adjacent said fixed jaw, a pin slidably mounted in said head and having an end projecting therefrom, a rotatable jaw operating member mounted on said pin and cooperating with said movable jaw, means carried by said pin and engageable with said rotatable member for looking the latter and the movable jaw in a desired position of adjustment, and yielding means normally urging said locking means into engaging position, said yielding means being compressible by manual pressure upon the projecting end of the pin to provide for release of said locking means.

2. In a wrench havin a head provided with a fixed jaw, a movable j aw adjacent said fixed jaw. a pin slidably mounted in said head and having an end projecting therefrom, a rotatable jaw operating member mounted on said pin and cooperating with said movable jaw, means carried by said pin and engageable with said rotatable member for locking the latter and the movable jaw in a desired posi tion of adjustment, and yielding means engaging said pin and normally urging said locking means into engaging position, said yielding means being compressible by manual pressure upon the projecting end of the pin to provide for release of said locking means.

3. In a Wrench having a head provided with a fixed jaw, a movable jaw adjacent said fixed jaw, a pin slidably mounted in said .head, a rotatable jaw operating member mounted on said pin and cooperating with said movable jaw, and means insertable in said pin and engageable with said rotatable member for locking the latter and the movable jaw in a desired position of adjustment and for maintaining the parts in assembled condition.

4. In a wrench having a head provided with a fixed jaw, a movable jaw adjacent said fixed jaw, a pin slidably mounted in said head, a rotatable jaw operating member mounted on said pin and cooperating with said movable jaw, means insertable in said pin and engageble with said rotatable mem her for locking the latter and the movable jaw in a desired position of adjustment and for maintaining the parts in assembled condition, and yielding means for holding said locking means in place and for normally urging the same into said locking engagement with the rotatable member.

5. In a wrench having a head provided with a fixed jaw, a movable jaw adjacent said fixed jaw, a pin slidably mounted in said head, a rotatable jaw operating' member mounted on said pin and cooperating with said movable jaw, and means carried by said pin and engageable with said rotatable member for positively locking the latter and the movable jaw in a desired position of adjust-ment, said slidable pin being manually movable by pressure on an end thereof to cause disengagement of said locking means from the rotatable member.

'6. In a wrench having a head provided with a fixed jaw, a movable jaw adjacent said fixed jaw, a pin slidably mounted in said head, a rotatable jaw operating member mounted on said pin and cooperating with said movable jaw and having an end provided with a recess, and means carried by said pin and engageable with said recess in the rotatable member for positively locking the latter and the movable jaw in a desired position of adjustment, said slidable pin being manually movable by pressure on an end thereof to cause disengagement of said locking means from the recess of the rotatable member.

7. In a wrench having a head provided with a fixed jaw, a movable jaw adjacent said fixed jaw, said head also having a bore therein, yielding means in the inner end of said bore, a pin movably mounted in said bore, said pin having a transverse slot and having a bore extending from an end to said slot, a smaller pin mounted in said bore of the first pin and having its end extending into the slot, a worm loosely mounted on said first pin and cooperating with the movable jaw to adjust the latter, and a locking member insertable in the slot of the first pin and having an edge recess, the yielding means causing the end of the smaller pin to engage the recess of the lockin member to hold the latter in position, an said locking member beingnormally engageable with the worm to lock the latter and the movable jaw in a, desired position of adjustment.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

PERRY ANDERSON. 

